Improvement in blasting compounds or dynamites



UNITED STATES- PATENT; OFFICE WALTER N. HILL, or NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLASTING COMPOUNDSROR DYNAMITES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,530, dated'January 520, 1874; application tiled July 2-2, 1873. i

following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The most explosive compound generally used at the present time for blasting purposes is known as dynami'tcf and consists ot' a mixture of nitro-glycerine-a highly explosive substance-and an inert, linely pulverulent,-

and absorbent silicions earth, found in certain localities in this country and in Europe, which mixture, while possessing the explosive properties of nitro-glyeerine, can be conveniently and safely transported and handled. My invention consists in the. production of an im proved dynamite, in which, instead of the natural silieious earth, I use an artificially-pre-- pared silicious powder.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe the same.

From a solution of any of the alkaline silicates, precipitate, by means of any suitable acid, the silica contained therein. This preeipitate is then washed with pare water and dried'at. a suitable temperature, and it may, in addition, he ignited. The product is a powder, consisting of pure silica in the most finely-divided form possible to be obtained inerr, and highly absorbent. With this powder I mix nitro-glyeerine, in quantity depending upon the explosive power'which is desired for the product; and the resultis a granular powspondingly diminishing its capacity of being handled with safety.

The advantages of the dynamite, prepared as above described, over that prepared from the natural silicious earth are the ease and eheapmms with which it can be manufaetm'ed in any locality, its great explosive power, and its comparative 'satety.

What 1 elainias my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States,

A blasting-powdcr or dynamite, composed of amixture of nitro-glycerine and a silieious powder, prepared by precipitation from solu-I tions of the silicates, substantially as above. described.

' waurnii N? HILL. Witnesses:

WM. A. Hayes, Jr.,

A. L. Harris. 

